The Department for Education and Skills acknowledges the importance of school trips as a vital addition to the curriculum.

Of course, we realise that the safety of pupils is at the forefront of the minds of all teachers who set about organising such trips.

That’s why we do everything within our ability to ensure that all aspects of the trip comply with health and safety rules and guidelines.

Under the Package Travel, Package Holidays and Package Tours Regulations 2018, we are legally obliged to protect your payments until you have returned from your trip. These funds will only be released to us when you confirm to us that your tour has been succesfully completed (or 14 days after your return if we do not hear to the contrary). This means that your money is protected in the event of Hwyl a Fflag’s insolvency.

We have developed a comprehensive safety management policy to ensure that Hwyl a Fflag operates effective systems and follows strict procedures to ensure that all aspects of safety on the trip have been fully assessed beforehand.

We take an active interest in all health and safety elements of our tours. As well as carrying out full inspections on our regularly used accommodation and coach suppliers, we also ask our customers to report any accidents, incidents and ‘near misses’, as well as any other issues which arise during their trip. Please let us know as soon as possible if anything of this nature happens during your tour, as we keep a record of all such incidents.

We also promote a strong health and safety policy in our own working environment, so that our staff has a positive attitude towards the importance of maintaining high safety standards .

When you come to the stage where you’re making your risk assessments for your trip, get in touch with us as we have our own risk assessments for many of the hotels and centres we use, as well as the excursions you can book through us. We can also offer help and advice as you plan the safety aspect of your trip.

We believe that safety and enjoyment are equally important when travelling with Hwyl a Fflag. It is therefore one of our terms and conditions of booking that you have adequate travel insurance in place before you travel; cover must include emergency medical expenses, personal accident and repatriation. In addition, we strongly recommend that you include baggage, personal liability and cancellation cover.

Hwyl a Fflag has teamed up with Endsleigh Insurance Services Limited to offer our travellers a competitive policy specifically designed to cater for the insurance needs of travellers whilst travelling on a trip arranged by Hwyl a Fflag. The product provides cover including emergency medical assistance and medical costs, protection in the event of cancellation or curtailment, cover for loss, theft of or damage to baggage and group money.

Key features and benefits:

• A 24 hour helpline for medical emergencies
• Emergency medical expenses in the event of illness or injury
• Protection against cancellation or curtailment charges
• Cover for loss or damage to baggage and personal money
• A wide range of sports and activities covered including winter sports

 Key eligibility criteria and exclusions:

• Not available to anyone aged 86 and over
• Travellers must be registered under the healthcare system of their home country
• No cover under cancellation or curtailment charges, emergency medical expenses or personal accident relating to any reason set out under ‘Important conditions relating to health’ – see group policy wording
• No cover where the FCO or World Health Organisation has advised against travel
• No cover where travel is not departing from and returning to your home country
• Each claim will be subject to a £50 excess wherever an excess applies.

NB It is advisable to take out your travel insurance at the time of booking your trip as cover will commence for pre-departure cancellation from the policy issue date. This will, therefore, provide cover should you have to cancel your trip for an insured reason such as illness or serious accident preventing you from travelling.